MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – October 24, 2012 – Kingston Resorts, an oceanfront resort complex in Myrtle Beach, Kingston Plantation and Kingston Shores shipped 2,000 pounds of soap to an African village as part of the Global Soap Project. The Global Soap Project recycles soap from American hotels and distributes them to people in Africa. The soap is collected, sanitized and melted into new bars before they are shipped to refugee camps.

“This program has grown significantly since it started two years ago,” said Eugene Silvestri, hotel manager with Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort. “We now ship twice a year, and we are very proud that the organizer, the project and Hilton Worldwide have received international recognition.”Continue reading →

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – October 4, 2012 – Kingston Resorts, an oceanfront resort complex in Myrtle Beach, Kingston Plantation and Kingston Shores were selected as Silver Magellan Award winners. The winners of The 2012 Magellan Awards were announced by Travel Weekly. The resorts were also included in the Best of the South awards by Meetings Focus South magazine.

With entries from across the United States and around the world, the Magellan Awards are the premier awards program honoring the best in the travel industry. The complete list of winners can be viewed at www.travelweeklyawards.com. The awards honor a broad range of industry segments including hotels and resorts, travel destinations, cruise lines, online travel services, airlines and airports, travel agents and agencies, tour operators and car rental companies.

The 44-seat Vintage Twelve restaurant was designed as an open-kitchen concept. The restaurant has been called an “organic gourmet haven” by Myrtle Beach Restaurant News, and the response from diners has been overwhelming.

Chef Caitlin Brady made a mark on the dining scene with her Southern-style recipes that focus on the freshest local ingredients and seafood. She trained with Executive Chef Frank Lee at the Old Village Post House in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina and High Hammock on Pawleys Island. Now, Brady has refined her style to match the cuisine typical of the finer chefs in Charleston. She honors the region’s time-honored traditional dishes including fried flounder, sweet succotash and buttery shrimp and grits. But then, she elevates these old favorites with innovative twists such as hush puppies with pimento cheese fondue. Or, she’ll add goat cheese grits to a tender rack of lamb.

“One diner said our peach ice cream was just like her grandma’s” said Brady. “I love it when diners get emotional. That kind of response means we have created memories for our patrons and have taken something old and made it new.”Continue reading →

The 44-seat restaurant has “an awesome ocean view,” Brady said. Vintage Twelve was added as part of a major renovation to the lobby and common areas.

“We serve new Southern cuisine,” she said. “We try to keep the food as clean as possible, staying away from overly processed meats and products. If we can’t source it to our standards then we make it in house, including our ice creams, pastas and butter.”

At age 25, Chef Caitlin Brady at Vintage Twelve in Myrtle Beach has achieved a pinnacle of success she says is due in large part to mentoring.

“I am convinced I’d be nowhere without Frank Lee,” she said on June 6 in the intimate and sleek dining room at Vintage Twelve, an organic gourmet haven with an elevated ocean view at Kingston Plantation.

The chef took a conventional route to learn culinary techniques and graduated from the two-year Culinary Arts program at Horry-Georgetown Technical College in 2008. She then worked beside Executive Chef Frank Lee and Chef de Cuisine Steven Musolf as a sous-chef.

Lee is a legend in Charleston restaurants such as Slightly North of Broad and at Maverick Southern Kitchens, which owned the now-closed High Hammock in Pawleys Island. Musolf, as a maverick in the kitchen, was a good match with the company and Lee’s philosophy of putting ingredients and their unique flavors ahead of all else.Continue reading →

It’s that time of year to start thinking about summer vacation. While your mind may be on vacation, that doesn’t mean your green behavior should be packed away until you return. Why not take a green approach to travel?

Hotels

Most hotels, especially the large chains, offer a so-called “eco” service. This simple service includes some easy green choices, such as hanging up your wet towels if you don’t want them changed out, which essentially saves water, energy, etc. Some hotels even have a “No, Thank You” door hanger for maid service, which saves the maids some time in their schedule, green for efficiency reasons.

The hospitality industry has been going green for the sake of guests, including the green certification of hotels through associations. For example, the South Carolina Green Hospitality Alliance (www.GreenHospitalityAlliance.com) has certified several in the Myrtle Beach area including the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort, the Embassy Suites at Kingston Plantation, and the Wyndham Ocean Boulevard Resort. To become a certified green property, the business must fill out an application about its practices such as environmentally preferred purchasing, waste reduction and recycling, energy and water efficiency, air quality, catering and green cleaning. The certification works like a point scale, so some businesses may turn out to be very green and others may be lighter green. Overall, at least they are doing something to be greener. For more about green hotels, visit www.EnvironmentallyFriendlyHotels.com or www.greenhotels.comContinue reading →

Download Hi-Res Photos

About Embassy Suites Hotels
Embassy Suites Hotels, one of Hilton Worldwide's ten market-leading brands, gives guests more during every stay. The full service, upscale brand offers spacious two-room suites, free cooked-to-order breakfast and a nightly Manager's Reception with complimentary appetizers and beverages. Both leisure and business travelers looking for an approachable, upscale experience feel right at home in the brand's inviting atrium environment. Embassy Suites Hotels has 213 properties across the Americas and an additional 26 in the pipeline. For more information, visit www.embassysuites.com, and connect with Embassy Suites at www.embassysuitesmediacenter.com, www.facebook.com/embassysuiteshotels and http://www.twitter.com/EmbassySuites.

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts
One of the most recognized names in the industry, Hilton Hotels & Resorts stands as the stylish, forward thinking global leader in hospitality. From inaugural balls and Hollywood award galas to business events and days to remember, Hilton is where the world makes history, closes the deal, toasts special occasions and gets away from it all. The flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide continues to build upon its legacy of innovation by developing products and services to meet the needs of tomorrow's savvy global travelers while more than 144,000 Team Members shape experiences in which every guest feels cared for, valued and respected. Today, the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio includes more than 540 hotels in 78 countries and the brand remains synonymous with "hotel." Access the latest Hilton news at www.hiltonglobalmediacenter.com or begin your journey at www.hilton.com. Social media users can engage with Hilton at www.twitter.com/hiltononline, www.facebook.com/hilton and www.youtube.com/hilton. Hilton Hotels & Resorts is one of Hilton Worldwide's ten market-leading brands.

About Hilton Worldwide
Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,800 hotels and timeshare properties, with 630,000 rooms in 88 countries and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide, www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, www.flickr.com/hiltonworldwide and www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.